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District Council to give added weight to all environmental policies

  • by JW

The District Council is making efforts to tackle climate change in East Devon:

District Council commits to action plan on climate change

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And at its most recent strategic planning meeting, it decided to take things further, as reported by Sidmouth Nub news:

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Added weight for environmental policies to address climate change ‘as quickly as possible’

East Devon District Council will give additional weight to all its policies that seek to address climate change.

Councillors on the Strategic Planning Committee … backed a series of recommendations that aim to ensure that the Council is doing all it can to progress planning policies to address climate change as quickly as possible.

Added weight for environmental policies to address climate change ‘as quickly as possible’ | Sidmouth Nub news

 

Here’s the full section from the minutes of that meeting – starting with a report:

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Minutes: Strategic Planning Committee: Tuesday 22nd October:

Climate Change Emergency – A planning response  PDF 383 KB

The report presented to the Committee addressed the current policy position with regard to climate change emergency on the proper planning of the district and drew members’ attention to the 6 areas of climate change risk identified by the UK’s Committee on Climate Change.

The Service Lead Planning Strategy and Development Management summarised the main policies that would seek to address climate change and the potential implications of setting these policy requirements.

Discussion covered:

  • Members welcomed measures to improve efficiency.
  • The need to focus on durability of homes.  Houses need to be sustainable.  The Service Lead Planning Strategy and Development Management concurred with the comments and would include this in the response to the consultation on future homes standard.
  • Eco credentials need to be at the highest level.
  • Don’t accept anything less than the very best.
  • It should be a requirement for solar panels to be fitted on all new homes.
  • The need for affordable houses with the maximum green credentials.
  • Members concurred with Councillor Howe’s suggestion to include an additional recommendation for the council to give added weight to all environmental policies in the current local plan and future local plans because of the declared climate change emergency.

RESOLVED:

  1. that the approach detailed in the report of addressing climate change through the review of the Local Plan using the standards set in the Cranbrook Plan as a starting point and setting new standards within the framework to be established through the Greater Exeter Strategic Plan (GESP) be endorsed;
  2. that the proposed uplift in energy efficiency standards for new homes in the current government consultation on “The Future Homes Standard” be supported;
  3. to canvass government to introduce even higher energy efficiency standards for new developments through the building regulations and to provide clearer guidance and reduce the onus on local authorities to evidence a need for climate change policies be considered;
  4. that the Council works in partnership with landowners, conservation groups and other public and private sector bodies to deliver more tree planting projects in the district to assist with carbon off-setting and enable biodiversity enhancements be agreed;
  5. that added weight be given to all environmental policies in the current local plan and future local plans because of the declared climate change emergency be supported.

 

Strategic Planning Committee – Tuesday, 22nd October, 2019 10.00 am